Days of Remembrance
by vierblith
Summary: TezukaFuji. Oftentimes, we have to choose between what is right and what is easy. What happens when what is easy is what people deem to be the right thing?
1. Day One

**Days of Remembrance  
**Pairing: TezukaFuji  
Rating: G  
Genre: Romance/Drama  
Warnings: Spoilers, and this is shounen ai  
Disclaimer: I don't own Tezuka and Fuji. They own each other, though.  
**  
A/N:** If you've realized... yes, this is** Remembrance**. I've realized that it's such a shame if I hadn't shared it just because they think it's in second person POV, which it isn't... The POV is evident at the very first sentence. And some of you already know that I have a huge attachment to this fic.

******oOo**  
_One runs a risk of weeping a little, if one lets himself be tamed… - The Little Prince, by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry_**  
****oOo  
Remembrance - Day One  
oOo**

I know everyone thought that things started and ended as mere games to him. You admitted that you used to think so too. His attitude, his playful nonchalance annoyed you to no end; it hindered him from showing his true self especially at court. Yet you couldn't deny that his careless elegance intrigued you as well; it made you wonder what kind of person he was hiding from everyone else.

However, you weren't exactly pleased when you have come to be his favorite target. He especially liked teasing you, probably, you thought, because you spoke very little around him and said less to anyone else. It was one of the few things that you found unnerving: you couldn't help wondering when he'd come up with a trick up his sleeve. I can easily picture you raising a brow whenever he was within proximity.

"What is it?" You asked as he approached you after a long run. You eyed him staidly, waiting, while he picked up his towel from a nearby bench and he dabbed it against his flushed and sweaty face.

He smiled placidly at you. "There's someone who'd like to see you after practice."

Suspicion began hissing in your head. It must have told you not to let your guard down around him. "I'm busy," you said abruptly. But you realized your mistake when you heard a soft amused laugh; you knew that he never gave in to tones of dismissal.

"It's very urgent," he pressed. His lips were coaxing a knowing smile. "And the only homework we have for tomorrow is Math. We already finished it at the library before practice. You can't be busy."

You tried to throw a glare at him but you failed immensely because your eyes met his thoughtful blue ones. Then, he grinned, making you lose the contact and causing your brows to twitch.

"We'll be by the school gates at five."

"You - ?" You shut your mouth and sighed. He had set off without bothering to listen to your reply. Thinking that he never was one to pay attention to you in the first place, you didn't attempt to call him back.

Practice ended early that day and you watched him warily as he brushed past you and took long strides out of the clubroom. He turned back to remind you of your rendezvous but you couldn't help but notice that the smile on his face was too broad to be considered harmless. You nodded, bracing yourself mentally for what was to come.

You were donning on a clean set of clothing from your locker when you began to wonder what he could possibly be up to. Then, you recalled the last time he had waited for you by the school gates… He had been quite upset that day. The usual beam was replaced by a contemplative frown and you surprised yourself when you asked him to see you after practice. Relief had been evident in your face when he agreed; you must have thought that he would refuse to talk to you just as he had refused to talk to anyone else.

As you had walked away from school that time, you knew that he had no trouble in store; no mind game was in his head. You knew something was weighing him down. Despite the knowledge that you would be downing cup after cup of milk thereafter, you didn't complain when he had been so generous as to pick your meal at his favorite noodle house. After all, you were the one who offered him company. While you were chugging down your third cup of milk, you had caught sight of him covering his lips and muffling a chuckle while watching your feat. But he had given up in the end and had thrown his head back in teary-eyed laughter - a sound that hadn't been heard in the past week.

In normal occasions, you would have taken offense if anyone found entertainment at your expense. But I think that was when you began to appreciate his lighthearted nature, when you began to realize that people took his eternal smile for granted and so you had chosen to stay silent. At least your demise was doing a good thing. Besides, I'm quite sure that you had been smiling at that time, too.

Gulping down another cup of milk, you said, "If I were Yuuta-kun, I would transfer to another school as well."

He blinked his eyes and stopped laughing. "You would?" he asked in a hollow voice, his eyes dropped to his untouched bowl.

You nodded firmly. "It wouldn't be to spite you," you said in your usual calm voice. "It would be to step out of your shadow and to see what I can accomplish on my own. After all, you are someone who excels in everything and your shadow would have to be very overpowering."

He hung his head and fixed his gaze on you. "But if you were my brother… I'd stay. I'd want to accomplish many things with you. I'd want to win the Nationals with you."

Your eyes widened by the tiniest fraction. Then, you nodded and said, "You and Yuuta-kun have different personalities." You must have heard the heavy sigh that he released since you added hastily, "I may be wrong, though, seeing as I don't have a sibling."

He lifted his head and said, "I think you're right." He had smiled sincerely and added, "Thank you."

After buttoning up your shirt, you shut your locker. You wrinkled your forehead slightly in thought, deciding that meeting with him couldn't be all that bad. You only had to order dinner for yourself should the opportunity arise.

**oOo****  
**_As his lips opened slightly with the suspicion of a half-smile, I said to myself, again: "What moves me so deeply, about this little prince who is sleeping here, is his loyalty to a flower – the image of a rose that shines through his whole being like the flame of a lamp, even when he is asleep…" And I felt him to be more fragile still. I felt the need of protecting him, as if he himself were a flame that might be extinguished by a little puff of the wind… - The Little Prince, by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry_**  
****oOo**

******a/n: **I am trying to finish both Dictionary and OYIF before the year ends. Hope you can wait.******  
**


	2. Day Two

**Days of Remembrance  
**Pairing: TezukaFuji  
Rating: G for now  
Genre: Romance/Drama  
Warnings: Spoilers, and this is shounen ai  
Disclaimer: I don't own Tezuka and Fuji. They own each other, though. 

******oOo**  
_One runs a risk of weeping a little, if one lets himself be tamed… - The Little Prince, by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry_**  
****oOo  
Remembrance - Day Two  
oOo**

You were never late; in fact, even now, I'm amused by that punctuality of yours. Hence, there was no surprise when you arrived ten minutes before five at the school gates. The surprise came, however, when you felt a pat on your shoulders.

"Fuji," you said flatly. You made a quick glance at your watch and said, "You're early."

You saw his smiling lips curl up at one corner and your brows twitched a little. "You're one to talk." He grinned and waved a hand, urging you to walk. "Let's go. She's waiting."

Nodding, you walked forward. Then, as if his words suddenly struck you, you stopped in mid-step and stared at him.

"Tezuka?" he asked, turning inquiringly to you.

You didn't say anything, but there were more creases in your forehead and your glare was even more intense than usual.

He, however, clucked his tongue. "Tezuka, you can't be afraid of a girl, can you?"

'Afraid,' of course, wasn't the right word. I doubt if you ever were afraid of anything.

Ignoring his cajoling smile, you continued glowering. Silently, however, you admitted to yourself that you were irked by girls. A lot of girls seemed to know your full schedule; they flocked around you and trailed you every time of the day. They filled your lockers with pink, rose-scented envelopes and handed you chocolates and gifts in special occasions. Worst of all, they screamed your name and varieties of it – 'Tezuka-sama!', 'Kuni-chan', 'Buchou, my love.' Yet, as always, you treated them with respect and courteousness and you never voiced your musings to anyone.

"Well?" he asked, arching a brow.

You remained emotionless, unshaken by his smile.

"Mn, Tezuka," he started cheerfully. "I think you'll be glad to see her." He must have seen your doubt so he said, "I promise."

For an instant, your eyes went round as you saw his broadening smile. But you blinked as if to shrug off something, something about him which you couldn't pinpoint exactly. "Fine," you said in a curt way, trying to convince yourself that you were agreeing, not submitting.

A door chime clanged as he led you inside a café. Following his strides, you frowned, wondering, as he ushered you toward one corner of the shop.

"Kunimitsu!"

You craned your neck abruptly and scowled at him. "Fuji," you marked in reproof.

"That wasn't me," he said, smiling innocently at you.

"Kunimitsu," came the call again, causing your frown to darken. Turning to your side, you saw a bright, heart-shaped face that was surveying you. Big black eyes were eyeing you expectantly.

"Remember me, Kunimitsu?"

You blinked, your mind drawing a blank at the sight of this girl. You were about to say 'no' when you saw a cut on her right brow; recollection came to you. "Yukino," you said in a toneless voice.

Grinning, she tipped her head to wink at him. "You're right, Syusuke. He does remember."

You brought your gaze to him as well and, then, back to her. Perplexity was evident in your face.

"Tezuka," he said jovially, "Meet my cousin, Ashida Yukino."

"Cousin?" you couldn't help but ask.

"Yes," she said promptly, dropping to the cushioned seat and waving her hand, gesturing you to sit down as well. "Our mothers are sisters."

You obliged, sitting down on the seat across her and you waited in silence as he slipped right next to you.

"Our family is visiting from Australia for a… it's supposedly a family reunion, right Syusuke?"

"Yes," he said, looking up from the menu.

"I didn't actually want to come," she said cheerfully. "But okaasan insisted and since I haven't seen Syusuke, Yuuta and Yumiko-neesan in a long time. Then, you know what?" she asked you eagerly. "I found out that Syusuke is studying in Seigaku. So I asked him whether he knew a certain Tezuka Kunimitsu and he said yes! So now I'm quite glad that I came to Japan."

"How long will your stay be?" you asked, not out of curiosity but of politeness.

"Five days," she said thoughtfully. "Ne," she said, peering closely at you, "did you miss me?"

You could only shoot her a steely gaze and you found yourself utterly relieved when a waitress came to take your orders.

"Ne, Kunimitsu, did you miss me?" she asked again.

Aware that her black eyes were on you, you didn't respond. You pressed your lips, becoming even more conscious of a pair of intrigued blue eyes that fell on you. All of a sudden, much to your thanks, you heard a hearty laugh.

"I was just joking," she said lightheartedly. "Syusuke, is your fukubuchou always like that?"

"Ah," he assented. At the corner of your eyes, you caught his sly smile. "So I'm quite surprised when you said that he had been so friendly years ago." He brought a hand to his chin and inclined his head in contemplation. He threw a knowing look at your direction and said, "Yukino told me interesting things about your kindergarten days, Tezuka… I especially liked that one story when you did the Cinderella school play."

"Oh, that!" she piped in, trying to catch your eyes. Her attention was momentarily interrupted when the waitress came back, setting your tea. "Do you still remember that play, Kunimitsu?"

All you did was grunt.

"That's where I got this scar right here," she said, tapping her right eyebrow as she sipped her tea. "I was so clumsy I got hit by the wooden props…"

"Fortunately, Tezuka was there to help you?" he cut in, his lips forming an all-too pleased smile. "So you knew first aid since kindergarten, Tezuka?"

"Ahh."

"Do you still hike, though?" she asked. "That's where you learned first aid, didn't you? In hiking, I mean."

You gave a noncommittal nod. There was, you noticed, a ghost of a smile in her lips as she nodded as well.

Offhandedly, as she absentmindedly stirred her tea, she asked, "Are you still that chivalrous?"

Confused, you blinked at her. "I don't know what you mean." You heard a collective chortle and you furrowed your brows, concluding that they were cousins indeed. Both were painfully mischievous and they both seemed to have a penchant for teasing you. Yet the similarities, you began to consider as you watched them, ended there. Where her actions were animated and flippant, his were withdrawn and… elegant?

"Well," he started grinning at you, "Tezuka had always been chivalrous. Am I wrong, Tezuka?"

Some of your discomfort showed despite your effort to keep an emotionless façade. You blanched uncontrollably. Trying to cover for this reaction, you reached for your cup of tea and gulped, not caring whether or not it burnt your tongue. "I can't answer that."

"Chivalrous and… humble, too," she declared with amusement.

"Ii data."

Taken aback, you coughed on your tea.

Covering his lips with a hand to stop himself from laughing, he said, "That was me, Tezuka." He reached out for his teacup as well and finished its contents. He checked his watch and slung his bag on his shoulder.

"Syusuke?" she asked, thoughtful. "Where are you going?"

"There's something I need to do right now," he said, getting to his feet. "Please excuse me."

She glimpsed at the glass pane and said, "But it might rain soon."

"I'm sure I'll be home before the rain falls," he said, smiling reassuringly.

He was taking a few steps when you suddenly said, "Fuji, don't get careless."

You noticed that the lines on his forehead deepened as he mulled over your words. "Sure," he said, waving a hand. "Thanks."

Staying behind, you spent the rest of the time listening to her stories and some memories of your shared childhood. You gave comments when needed, but you merely said "Ahh" and "Hn" most of the time. And, oddly, you found yourself unable to tear your eyes away from the window. "It's raining," you said as a torrid rain began to shower the earth.

A concerned look crossed her face. "Do you think Syusuke's home by now?"

You drank your tea to the dregs and said, trying to sound flat and uncaring, "I hope so."

******oOo**  
_As his lips opened slightly with the suspicion of a half-smile, I said to myself, again: "What moves me so deeply, about this little prince who is sleeping here, is his loyalty to a flower – the image of a rose that shines through his whole being like the flame of a lamp, even when he is asleep…" And I felt him to be more fragile still. I felt the need of protecting him, as if he himself were a flame that might be extinguished by a little puff of the wind… - The Little Prince, by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry_**  
****oOo**


	3. Day Three

**Remembrance Days  
**Pairing:TezukaFuji  
Rating: G for now  
Warnings:probably a bit of spoilers, OC, OOCness, shounen ai  
Disclaimer:I own neither Tezuka nor Fuji. But they do own each other.

**********oOo**  
_One runs a risk of weeping a little, if one lets himself be tamed… - The Little Prince, by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry_**  
oOo  
**** Remembrance – Day Three**  
oOo

Where was I? Ah, yes…

A commotion was stirring outside the clubroom the following day. You were changing then, when the noise picked up a decibel higher than the usual. But you didn't go out to shush whoever was making the racket. You were used to it – Eiji gathering people and engaging in merry cachinnation or, perhaps, Kaidoh and Momoshiro, whose squabbles, you forced yourself to believe, were due to healthy competition or, sometimes, Kawamura in 'Burning!!!' mode.

Silently, you went steadily out of the clubroom, ignoring the clamor; you hardly concerned yourself with trivial things.

"Are you Tezuka's girlfriend, nya?" you heard Eiji ask. The redhead's voice was a mixture of amusement and curiosity.

You craned your neck and saw Eiji and some of your teammates – Oishi, Inui, Momoshiro, Kaidoh, Kawamura – hovering around someone, who was obscured from view.

"Tezuka Kunimitsu has a girlfriend," came Inui's monotone. "Ii data."

Maybe your brows twitched then. After all, was it possible for you to have a girlfriend and not know of it? I don't think you were even considering getting a girlfriend that time.

"Kunimitsu!"

The voice was familiar. You turned around, probably wearing no expression at all, and spotted the owner of the voice.

"See?" said Eiji, jumping excitedly and shaking Oishi by the shoulders. "Tezuka has a girlfriend!"

"How's Fuji?" you asked, blatantly disregarding the red bouncing ball of energy that Eiji was.

"Oh, Syusuke?"

"Does that mean that she's Fuji-senpai's girlfriend as well?" asked Momoshiro, confused.

"No," she said, waving her hand. You thought her laugh sounded oddly… hollow. "Syusuke is my cousin and Kunimitsu is an old friend," she explained. Averting her gaze to you, she said, "Syusuke insists that he's all right now, but he's still got a fever. I was just on my way to buy his medicine."

"That's true, if you're Fujiko's cousin, you can't be…"

"You should be going then," you said pointedly.

She tilted her head, contemplating something which you couldn't be sure of. "Syusuke asked me to borrow your notes in case you have homework."

"I'll go with you."

"You don't have to," said Yukino, rather hastily or so she seemed.

"I need my notes back," you said briefly. "And we have a new project."

She pressed her lips together, eyed you quizzically and finally nodded. She waved goodbye to your club mates and gestured you to follow.

"How long have you known Syusuke?"

"A year and a half," you said matter-of-factly.

"You've been classmates that long?"

"No."

"Just this year, then?" she asked some more.

"Hn."

"Isn't he popular among girls?"

You nearly frowned. But you checked yourself in time and gave a quick nod instead.

"Does he have a girlfriend?"

"I wouldn't know," you said simply. Your voice was calm and detached. Your face showed that you didn't care for such questions.

She must have seen this since she shrugged and smiled at you. Then, she flung more questions – trivial ones, ones that couldn't be related to him. She was adamant for answers, and so you gave yours, rather reluctantly.

All the while, you found yourself thinking that he usually asked more questions when you walked together. His questions would sometimes be too pragmatic, sometimes too profound. But you never had to concern yourself with replying because he was often content with that, just thinking out loud. Furthermore, you found yourself lacking in response for some if not most of his queries.

His residence was silent when you arrived, making you wonder whether or not he were left alone.

"Yumiko-neechan is already upstairs, I think," she said, leading you to his room, which you've visited times before. "Syusuke," she announced as she opened the door. "The homework brought Kunimitsu with it," she added lightheartedly. But, if you saw her smile, you'd realize that it was a bit strained.

He looked up, disengaging from a conversation with his sister. Then, he gave you a customary greeting – a smile.

"Come in, Tezuka-kun," said his sister, gathering a tray of dishes. "Please make yourself comfortable."

You bowed courteously. "Thank you."

Once the elder of the siblings was gone, you entered and inquired quietly and tonelessly, "How are you?"

"I'm better now," he said, his smile was never fading. "You didn't have to bother coming."

"I'll need my notes and we have a project," you said directly.

"Ahh," he said, nodding his head in understanding. "What is it about?"

You pulled out a notebook from your bag and held it out to him. Your eyes never left his slightly bowed head as you waited.

"Classic literature, yes, that would be good," he said cheerfully, his voice cracked because of his cold. "We're partners."

You nodded.

"Tezuka, you should try to do projects with our other classmates. They might think that you're uncooperative," he said, chuckling. "They're all scared of you, even your fangirls…"

"Oh, so Kunimitsu has fangirls as well?" asked Yukino. But I don't think you would have caught the way her voice rose or the way she smiled thinly at him while she handed over the medicine.

"Yes, of course," he said, practically beaming.

There was no need for you to make a comment so you dropped to one chair and took out the rest of your notes.

"I'll have to copy these," said Fuji thoughtfully. "I hope you don't mind a little bit of waiting."

You didn't even have to answer. No, of course you didn't mind waiting. He started copying, scrawling hastily. You knew he didn't want to hold you up. He understood that you didn't like wasting your time and changing your routine. But there were particularly long lines of notes that day and homework, too. "I'll copy the others."

He eyed you uncertainly.

"I could go home earlier," you stated.

He gave you a "thanks" and handed his own notebook.

"I'll help, too," offered Yukino.

You were sure that you didn't hear an answer from him but you found her sitting right beside you as you settled behind his desk.

You scribbled seriously then on, transferring the notes. Maybe you noticed that the strokes of his pen were thicker than yours, and his characters were a bit larger… Or perhaps you were too engrossed in writing that you wouldn't even be able to sense if a pair of eyes was watching you.

"I might be able to go to school tomorrow," he said as you gave him back his notes.

There were sharp glints in your eyes as you said, "Rest some more." He still was pale after all, and you didn't want to take chances. You didn't tell him that you didn't want him to get sicker or to faint in practice.

"If you say so, Tezuka," he said, grinning sheepishly up at you.

You blinked. I'm certain you did.

"Thank you."

As you walked out, Yukino caught up with you and said she'd accompany you to the bus stop. You said that she best stayed with Fuji but she shook her head and said that Yumiko-neechan would be with him in a while. She also added that she had something to ask. You didn't put up an argument because you knew her to be always persistent, just as he was.

This was her query, which you failed to answer because the bus had arrived, "Do you like someone in particular?"

**oOo  
**_As his lips opened slightly with the suspicion of a half-smile, I said to myself, again: "What moves me so deeply, about this little prince who is sleeping here, is his loyalty to a flower – the image of a rose that shines through his whole being like the flame of a lamp, even when he is asleep…" And I felt him to be more fragile still. I felt the need of protecting him, as if he himself were a flame that might be extinguished by a little puff of the wind… - The Little Prince, by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry_**  
oOo**


	4. Day Four

**Days of Remembrance****  
**Pairing: TezukaFuji  
Rating: G for now  
Genre: Romance/Drama  
Warnings: Spoilers, and this is shounen ai  
Disclaimer: I don't own Tezuka and Fuji. They own each other, though.

******oOo**_  
__One runs a risk of weeping a little, if one lets himself be tamed… - The Little Prince, by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry_

**oOo**

**Remembrance - Day Four**

******oOo**

"Like" wasn't quite the word that described what you felt. It left you an impression that was much too casual, too impersonal, too abrupt. "Like" was used by couples as an excuse to hold hands, to kiss in front of public and you weren't sure you agreed with that.

When she asked you again, "Is there someone you like in particular?" you replied in your usual toneless way, "I am attached to someone."

She nodded slowly at this before finally speaking. "I see."

Somehow, you found yourself relieved that she didn't ask any further. You didn't feel at all willing to offer any explanation.

"We'll be leaving the day after tomorrow," she told you offhandedly. "Could you help me shop tomorrow? I promised some friends that I'll give them gifts from Japan."

"You can ask Fuji to do that," you said pointedly.

You saw her lips tighten as she said, "Can't you? Are you very busy? Besides, Syusuke's not allowed to go out and strain himself unless for school."

A crease formed on your brows as you considered her request. At that instant, the door of the clubroom creaked open and he emerged, slinging his bag on his shoulders and wearing a smile that never quite left his face.

"Yukino," he said cheerfully, "we should be going."

"Can you go with me, Kunimitsu?" she asked, her wide and round eyes were fixed on you.

You pressed your lips together and unconsciously threw a glance at him. "Ahh," you said coolly.

"Really?" she asked, brightening up. "It's a date, then!"

Perhaps you were putting too much hope, but you thought you saw his eyes flicker rather sadly in your direction. But he must have recovered instantly or you simply must have been imagining things for he chuckled and said, "Let's go, Yukino. Tezuka," he turned to you, "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Ahh," you said quickly.

She showed up unsurprisingly early the next day. She told you that she didn't mind waiting for you to finish practice. She replied with a grin when Eiji asked why she was dressed up and early for the day. "I have a date with Kunimitsu," she said.

"Really?" asked Eiji with eyes widening.

She laughed, however. "No, not really," she said lightheartedly – all to your relief.

When practice ended, she practically dragged you down the sidewalk and toward the mall so you couldn't possibly have noticed the pair of eyes that was watching your disappearing figures.

You couldn't understand where she got the energy that fueled her to enter nearly every store that you passed by. By the end of the day, you found yourself worn out you thought you'd rather play a hundred matches than shop with her again.

"Thank you, Kunimitsu," she began to say as you strode out of the mall, lugging shopping bags and boxes with you.

"Hn."

"Kunimitsu," she called gently. She tilted her head so you could see her gleaming brown eyes. "Do you remember what I told you that night after the play?"

You blinked at her. "No," you said honestly.

"I told you then that I liked you," she said. You noticed that her head was down and her eyes were fixed on the ground. "I still do."

Choosing not to say anything, you walked steadily behind her.

"This person, the one you like, is very lucky…" she started thoughtfully. "But I hope you enjoyed this afternoon. I really did." She stopped at the bus stop and said, "I'll be going then. By the way, Syusuke wanted me to ask you if you could call him tonight. He wants to discuss your project."

Your eyes gained a warm color then but you hoped that she didn't notice the way you reacted upon hearing his name. "Yes, I will."

As soon as you got home, you reached for the phone and gave him a ring. You promised to do the project with him and when you dropped the line, you went down for dinner and your mother noted that you were almost smiling.

"I thought you'd want extra credit," he told you once you were inside his room the next day. "And I thought you wouldn't want the weight of schoolwork adding to the things that you have to do for the club."

"Ahh," you said, concomitantly pulling out your reading materials from your bag. You settled on the extra seat before his desk as he bustled around, gathering his own materials.

"Tezuka," he said, dropping to the seat beside you. "Yukino ordered me to tell you 'Take care." He smiled gleefully at you. "And she thoroughly enjoyed the date."

You found his smile forced or, perhaps, you hoped so. "It wasn't a date," you said matter-of-factly and you couldn't help but sound as if you were defending yourself.

"Indeed?" he asked, but you could see that his quaky smile did not alter. "But she likes you, don't you know?"

"Ah."

"You know?" he asked. He raised his brows in question. "I see," he said when you jerked your head in a nod. When you didn't respond, he propped open his book open and he began writing. For ten minutes or so, all you heard was the scratch of pen against paper and you deftly avoided trying to glance at him every so often.

"Tezuka."

You almost instantly lifted your head then. "Hn?"

"I'm also very fond of you, do you know?"

You couldn't help but stare. You studied his face, searching for some signs that he was on to one of his pranks again. He was almost always spouting random things at you and you often used to wonder why he even bothered to share things that you rarely ever had a response to. You used to think that he was just being random or being the trickster that he often was. But you saw no mischief in his eyes. The answer to your queries dawned on you then.

You heard him sigh. "You seem to be a little fond of me, too," he said pensively. You noticed that his smile was genuine this time and a bit hopeful as well.

"Ahh."

You had a glimpse of his eyes for a second or two. Then, he closed it again as he flashed a beam at you.

"Fond" was a warm word. And you had to admit that it did explain a lot why you were content just standing right next to him while watching tennis games, why you were comfortable sitting right next to him in class and why you were heartened to study whenever he invited you to go to the library. Fond. Perhaps, he was right. Perhaps, "fond" was the word.

You were only thirteen then and you didn't yet quite understand what these things meant. But as I look back, I realize that it was the start of a relationship that would be deemed unusual, uncertain, unnamed.

******oOo**  
_As his lips opened slightly with the suspicion of a half-smile, I said to myself, again: "What moves me so deeply, about this little prince who is sleeping here, is his loyalty to a flower – the image of a rose that shines through his whole being like the flame of a lamp, even when he is asleep…" And I felt him to be more fragile still. I felt the need of protecting him, as if he himself were a flame that might be extinguished by a little puff of the wind… - The Little Prince, by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry_**  
****oOo**


	5. Day Five

**Days of Remembrance  
**Pairing: TezukaFuji  
Rating: G for now  
Genre: Romance/Drama  
Warnings: Spoilers, and this is shounen ai  
Disclaimer: I don't own Tezuka and Fuji. They own each other, though.

**oOo**  
_One runs a risk of weeping a little, if one lets himself be tamed… - The Little Prince, by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry_  
**oOo  
Remembrance - Day Five  
oOo**

Being fond, you realized, was fairly easy. Very little variation took place between you and him. You still went to the library, spending most of the time reading and studying with him. You still went about your way to walk home with him after practice. And, as per usual, you took your seat right beside him in class, always making sure that he got the seat closest to the window.

But there was a wee bit of a change in you that I don't think you realized just then… You smiled. Of course you didn't smile just as he did. I like to think that you would have scared a lot more people if you did. But the lines of thought left your forehead and your lips curled up ever so slightly whenever he pointed out something amusing in his readings. Other people may not have noticed your smile but there was no chance that it could have gotten past him.

"You should smile more often," you heard him mumble as he watched overcast clouds through the library window.

You turned to him and said sternly, "Fuji, the homework."

As always, he ignored your curt words and said, "Really, Tezuka, you're only a child for the first eighteen years of your life and you'll be an adult for the rest of it so don't be too eager to grow up." You saw his eyes crinkle more at the corners and you suspected that he was amused by your lack of reaction. "You really should smile more often."

"Fuji, the homework," you said wryly, patting your math book.

"Just smile. It shouldn't be too difficult," he told you as he continued to wear one of his light grins.

You pressed your lips disapprovingly but you put your pen on the table and shut the book as if in resignation. The math homework was so lengthy you no longer wondered why the teacher agreed to your classmates when they asked for 'pair work' when the homework was assigned. And with him highly distracted and very insistent, you knew that there was no way you could finish the task by the time the library closed. You still didn't smile, though, as you said, "We should finish this at home."

"Ahh?" he asked. You felt that, somehow, he was giving you a surprised, inquisitive stare beneath those slightly shut eyelids of his. "Aren't you going out?"

"Going out?"

"Yes," he said pointedly. "I was going to offer to take the homework with me."

A frown formed on your face as you regarded him. "No," you said firmly. In your opinion, what he had just suggested would lead you to abandon your responsibilities and, to you, negligence was a sin that should be punished by at least a hundred laps around the tennis court. "You can ask your sister to pick you up at our house; it's going to rain soon."

"It's your birthday," he said, as if reminding you. "Aren't you going out with your family to celebrate?" he asked you quickly.

"We already celebrated this morning," you said cursorily. "Otousan has a business trip."

"Oh?" he said interestedly and you thought his smile was brighter when he added, "Can we really go to your house?" He cast you a thoughtful look. "I've never been there."

When you nodded, you were quite certain that his smiled widened almost instantly.

You heard him cluck his tongue playfully. "And I suppose you'd need help with your sacks of gifts?"

Throwing a glare at him, you neatly packed your things and said, "Let's go."

He was, of course, unmindful of your sharp, piercing eyes. You just saw him beam at you as he stuffed things in his bag.

The rain began pouring while the two of you were inside the bus. Even with huge umbrellas, you weren't able to keep yourselves dry as the wind kept blowing the torrid rain toward your direction. Your mother looked particularly fretful when you finally stepped inside your house.

"Kunimitsu," she said, wearing a worried smile as she saw your disheveled state. "You should go upstairs and – "

"Ahh, okaasan," you said, interrupting her. You gestured him inside your house and said, "A classmate, Fuji Syusuke."

Your mother looked up and you found that her smile softened at the sight of him. "Oh, dear," she said in a very affable way as she studied him. "You should get changed, too."

"Good afternoon, Tezuka-san," he said, bowing politely to your mother. "My name is Fuji Syusuke. Yoroshiku onegai shimasu."

"I'm glad to meet you," she said, matching his beam with one of hers, probably making you realize that he and your mother resembled each other what with their never wavering smile. "Do you have something to change into?"

He straightened himself from bowing and paused to consider. "No, ma'am," he replied. You noted that his cheerfulness did not quite leave his tone despite the cold. "But I'll be dried up in a while."

"Oh, that wouldn't do," your mother said almost snappily. "I'm sure Kunimitsu can lend you some of his clothes." She waved her hand, gesturing him to follow up the stairs and up to your room. She handed you a fresh set of clothing and pointed you to the bathroom. "I'll just get Fuji-kun something that he can be comfortable in."

You nodded quietly, figuring that you didn't need to say anything, and found your way to the bathroom. As you cleaned and dried yourself up, you could hear your mother's muffled voice through the bathroom door.

"You're smaller than Kunimitsu, dear," you heard your mother say. "But I'm sure I'll find something." You could make out the sounds of something scuffling against wood, perhaps, inside your closet until you heard your mother's almost triumphant words. "Ahh, there you go. This isn't an exact fit, but I think this will do… I hope you don't mind this, Fuji-kun."

"Ah, no, not at all Tezuka-san," you heard him say. "Thank you."

The tiny sound of feet scraping against floor approached you and a knock came on your door. "Faster, Kunimitsu," your mother said. "Fuji-kun might catch cold."

Being the only child, you weren't wont to sharing your bathroom with anyone and you liked to take your time while cleaning yourself. But you also didn't like to be blamed if he caught a cold and you didn't want your mother to barge in to your bathroom, which she would probably have done if you decided to dawdle. Changing quickly, you turned the knob and allowed him to get inside.

"Wait for Fuji-kun and get down to dinner," your mother told you cheerfully.

"But we have to do homework first and Fuji has to go home soon," you said quietly.

"But the unacha I prepared might get cold," she said, grinning at you.

"Unacha?" you asked.

"Yes, unacha," answered your mother. "I'll be waiting downstairs and preparing the table. And be good to your guest."

You watched your mother leave your room and you scowled, probably silently accusing your mother of bribery. You turned your head as the door creaked and said, "Okaasan wants us to have dinner first."

"That's very thoughtful of her," he said in amusement.

Your eyes blinked just then when you realized that he was wearing a set of your overgrown clothes. If you thought that he looked odd in it, you didn't say so, but you stared at him as he folded the sleeves of your shirt.

Over at dinner, your mother was even more joyful than normal. She shared the reason with him, saying that you hardly had anyone to visit you at home, not even on your birthday, so she was very glad that you still had friends in spite of the lack of emotion in your face. She also said that she was relieved that she had the foresight to prepare more unacha seeing as you usually ate so many.

Probably thinking that he was grinning, you tried to shoot a glare at him, but you were disrupted when you had to bow as your grandfather joined the table. "Good evening, ojiisan," you said courteously.

Your grandfather eye's turned abruptly to him and, at the corner of your eyes, you saw him bow as well. "Good evening, Tezuka-sensei. I am Fuji Syusuke. Yoroshiku onegai shimasu."

Your grandfather only nodded his head and you dropped to your seats, proceeding into a very silent meal.

"Your mother is very nice," he told you as you finally finished your math homework at around ten in the evening.

You nodded quietly as you flexed your finger. You looked at him and said truthfully, "Your mother is very nice as well" as you, perhaps, recalled the many times that his mother invited you to dine with them.

"You take after your grandfather," he said and you observed that his smile was amused, almost knowing.

Before you could give a response, you heard a ring and you watched as he excused himself and picked up his phone.

"Really? But, neesan, it might be a bother… I can wait… yes, it is raining very hard… I'll – hang on." He lifted his head and held the phone away. "Ahh… Tezuka," he said cautiously.

"Hn?"

"Would it be too much to ask if I can stay overnight? Neesan can't pick me up. There's been a minor accident on her way from the office and it's blocking the traffic," he said and you thought he sounded mildly worried.

"I'm sure it'll be fine," you said, trying to reassure him. "Let's go ask okaasan."

You waited for him to trudge behind you as you went to find your mother, who was watching some primetime drama. She took the call from his sister and after a few moments of conversation, she said, "Yes, of course you can stay, Fuji-kun. Your sister says she'll pick you up after school and you don't have to worry about your school uniform. I'll have them dried."

He bowed again and murmured his thanks.

Later that night, he took a good look at your bookshelf and dragged a copy of some classic literature, _The Prince_, by Niccolo Machiavelli. "You really like political and social science, don't you?" he asked as he sat on your bed and opened the book.

"Hn."

"Tezuka," he said, slightly shutting the book and marking it by keeping his index finger on the page that he was reading. "Why don't you open your gifts?" You saw him eye the boxes on your desk and you heard him cluck his tongue. "Your admirers might get disheartened if they found out that you haven't been opening their gifts."

With a sigh, you dragged the boxes near your bed and you sat beside him, unwrapping some of the presents. You evidently pressed your lips after the ripping open the sixth box of cake and seventh box of chocolates.

"Why?" he asked. "Don't you like them?"

"I appreciate them," you replied with all honesty. "But I don't think I can finish all these food in time."

He let out a low laugh. "It does seem a bit wasteful."

You thrust a box of chocolate at him and said, "Eat it but brush your teeth later."

"Hm?" he said, turning inquiringly at you before finally helping himself to a piece of the heart-shaped chocolates. "Thanks."

As you piled up the boxes neatly, you found a box that was small in comparison to the others. Curiously, you took it and opened it. After seeing what was inside and reading the enclosed note, you stared at him.

"What?" he asked, jovially munching on his piece of chocolate after realizing that you were gaping at him.

"What's this?" you asked, holding out a necklace with a pendant of a piece of stone.

"A coiled necklace," he told you as if nothing could have been more obvious.

Your frown became evident then as you thought he wasn't being completely truthful.

"It's an opal coiled necklace," he said with a sigh. "Neesan said it's good for friendship, emotion," he stopped to chuckle and your eyebrows did twitch then, "fulfillment of desires and dreams, friendship… It's also good for the eyes and it entails healing forces."

You didn't look at all satisfied with his answer as you crossed your arm and waited for more.

"What?" he asked innocently. "It's a gift for your birthday… From neesan and I, since I couldn't afford to buy it alone. I thought it'd be good for your arm, for a fast recovery, you know? It's your birthstone, too!" He flashed a broad smile at you. "I can exchange it and give you chocolates, though, if you want."

"Is this why you didn't agree to go with the others whenever they wanted to go out and eat?" you asked darkly.

"Ah, yes," he said unabashedly. "I was saving for it."

Your face was grim as you looked at him in disbelief. But you gave in, probably because he was smiling at you and encouraging you to wear it. Submitting, you tied the necklace around your neck and you mumbled your quick thanks.

"You're very welcome," he said with a shrug. "It's a living stone. Don't let it dehydrate."

"Ahh," you said. "Thanks."

As you were gathering the boxes of gifts and the wrappings, he leaned on your bed and went on reading. When you came back after putting the wrappings into the trash, you found him lying on his stomach, with his head on the closed book. You really couldn't blame him; the book was difficult to read because it was about Western politics and the English was quite hard to understand.

Rubbing your eyes, you must have wondered whether you should unroll a futon to sleep on. But as sleep and exhaustion were daunting, you decided not to bother and you crawled to bed right beside him. Before you finally dozed off, you found yourself dazedly considering that having someone to stay at your home and wear your clothes and sleep on your bed wasn't very bad at all.

**oOo**  
_As his lips opened slightly with the suspicion of a half-smile, I said to myself, again: "What moves me so deeply, about this little prince who is sleeping here, is his loyalty to a flower – the image of a rose that shines through his whole being like the flame of a lamp, even when he is asleep…" And I felt him to be more fragile still. I felt the need of protecting him, as if he himself were a flame that might be extinguished by a little puff of the wind… - The Little Prince, by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry_  
**oOo**

**A/N: **Reviews will be loved!**  
**


	6. Day Six

**Remembrance**  
Pairing: TezukaFuji  
Rating: still very much G  
Genre: Romance, Drama  
Warnings: shounen ai, spoilers  
Disclaimer: If I owned Prince of Tennis, the main characters would be Tezuka and Fuji – not Echizen. Besides, I won't ever say that I own Tezuka and Fuji. They own each other. :D

**A/N: **I'm back! –hugs baby- I'll try to make this fic sound more and more like the character who narrates it as the plot thickens. This chapter and the next one will be transition chapters so they'll be a bit shorter than the others… sorry about that.

_One runs a risk of weeping a little, if one lets himself be tamed… - The Little Prince, by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry_

**oOo**

**Remembrance - Day Six**

**oOo**

I think when you sleep in bed with another person, when you allow him to see you with your guard down, the two of you are supposed to become a bit closer. That change became evident as the days passed. Eiji once pointed out of curiosity that he always ate lunch with you. Inui said that you spoke to him 38.92 percent more than the rest of the team. Even Oishi noted that you almost always ran laps alongside him.

But you easily dispelled the inquiries with that frown of yours. You told them that you were in the same class, had the same breaks, shared the same homework, had the same dismissal time that, naturally, you spent more time with him than with anyone else. They believed you, of course. Otherwise, they all knew, they would have had to run 30 laps around the court. He, on the other hand, merely chuckled, nodding to whatever you said.

He too noticed these little things. Before, you had been only partially comfortable with him. But he knew that you were now completely at ease with him. You stopped frowning around him. Instead, you began to wear a calmer, more relaxed expression. You also tried to answer his random questions, knitting your brows in deep thought while you contemplated suitable replies.

He also knew that you had to adjust your very busy schedule around his so that you could walk with him after school. But I'm not quite certain if you realized that every time you asked him to walk home with you, he was genuinely cheerful. His smile, if you noticed, span from ear to ear, full of gratitude. He liked these walks. He found it a way, if not an excuse, to know you better. It was a little challenge he made with himself to see things that other people did not see in you.

Most of the walks were quiet. You would occasionally talk about new tennis moves, uprising tennis stars, probable tennis rivals, your tennis club, etc. But there were also rare moments when you would hold a normal conversation and ask about each other.

One of those times, you paused to ask him, "Fuji, why do you always smile?" You were so serious and intent then that his smile widened.

He gave his shoulders a slight shrug and said, "Okaachan and oneesan are always smiling. They influenced my childhood so I must have picked up the habit from them. Besides," he paused to consider. Then, you saw him throw a grin at you, "Smiling feels nice, Tezuka. It does. You should try it once in a while."

You nodded. "I see," you said. And yet, to his obvious disappointment, you didn't smile.

"Why did you ask?" he wondered. "Did you think that I'm hiding behind my smile?"

You frowned. "No. Just asking."

He smiled. He believed you; after all, you never lied.

"But I wonder where the real you is."

Almost at once, he fell into silence. You couldn't have missed the slight wrinkle in his forehead when you said that. Somehow, it seemed, you had always managed to steer the conversation into that direction: his tennis. Though people took him as a tennis genius, you were not fully satisfied with his play.

You often asked him why he never played to his full potential. Sometimes, you shared your observations with him. You would say that he only played enough to win, but he lacked the drive, the passion for tennis. He hadn't been able to give you a convincing response though. But that is quite simply because he did not know the answer himself – until some time later… but we'll have to get back to that.

You were persistent enough to regularly remind him that he should play to his strength. But you knew when to push and when not to. Most of the time, you watched him train, added suggestions for his techniques, and, sometimes, practiced with him. But I think you were aching to see the things that he could do and see him past his limits.

Once, however, you had to forego a walk with him. You said you had to see someone. You had been slightly apologetic then but he assured you that it was all right. He was planning to buy a new book anyway, he said, and the bookshop was out of the way of your usual route. The two of you parted at the school gates that cold afternoon, and you watched as he waved a goodbye and turned to his heels.

Your brows raised in surprise when you saw him at the hospital entrance later that afternoon. He had smiled at you and said, "Tezuka."

"Fuji," you said quietly, leading him to the sidewalk. You explained to him that you met your doctor for one of your regular arm-checks.

"I see. So it was just a check-up," he said. You heard him sigh with relief. "I saw you walk into the hospital and I got a little worried."

"You could have gone in," you said simply. You knew that he was among the first few people who found out about your arm injury. And I think, because of the match you had in first year, you also knew that he genuinely cared – not just for your tennis.

"I didn't want to be in the way of people waiting for their check-ups. But I wasn't bored because I was thinking," he said cheerfully.

"Thinking?" You asked, unsurprised.

"If you and I had entered different schools what would have happened?" he asked pensively.

You turned to him inquiringly. "You were thinking about things like that?"

He beamed and nodded. "Maybe we would have bumped into each other at some tournament and a grand match might have occurred."

"Maybe," you said quietly.

"Which would you have preferred? Being in the same school, or being in different schools as enemies?" he asked curiously.

"I wonder… Daydream is not to my liking," you said truthfully.

He chuckled, amused. "That's so much like you," he said cheerfully.

Snow flakes began to fall while you were walking and he had asked you if, one day, all of you can climb the mountains together. You answered in your usual way saying, "If the opportunity arises." You walked slightly ahead of him so I don't think you had a hint of what he was thinking of back then.

As spring approached, you still continued your daily routine and walked him home. You were elected as the student council president as well as the captain of the tennis club. But however busy you were, you made it a point to meet him at the school gates after school. Sometimes, he would wait for you to finish your work on the council room or at the club room. He would busy himself with a book or some puzzle or watching you as he waited.

In that stretch of time, you never failed to walk with him. It must have felt like a promise on your part; he felt that way, I'm sure. The promise to do that simple act of walking home with him everyday was unspoken – just as most of the things the two of you shared.

**oOo**

_As his lips opened slightly with the suspicion of a half-smile, I said to myself, again: "What moves me so deeply, about this little prince who is sleeping here, is his loyalty to a flower – the image of a rose that shines through his whole being like the flame of a lamp, even when he is asleep…" And I felt him to be more fragile still. I felt the need of protecting him, as if he himself were a flame that might be extinguished by a little puff of the wind… - The Little Prince, by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry_

**oOo**

**a/n: **you see that little 'Submit Review' button down there? You'll be given lots and lots of love from vierblith if you clicked in and dropped a review. I must admit that I love reviews very much. I'm hyper. I just watched episode 175 for this. :D


	7. Day Seven

**Remembrance**  
Pairing: TezukaFuji  
Rating: still G  
Genre: Romance, Drama  
Warnings: shounen ai, spoilers  
Disclaimer: If I owned Prince of Tennis, the main characters would be Tezuka and Fuji – not Echizen. Besides, I won't ever say that I own Tezuka and Fuji. They own each other. :D

**A/N: **I had to read genius 83-89 for this as well genius 218. Anyway, this fic is picking up pace now, but this chapter is still rather short. Enjoy! I'd love some reviews too. :D

_One runs a risk of weeping a little, if one lets himself be tamed… - The Little Prince, by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry_

**oOo**

**Remembrance - Day Seven**

**oOo**

As captain, your goal was to lead the team to the Nationals. You told him that you had high hopes. Everyone in the team had both the strength and determination to reach the top. All the regulars, you said while looking intently at him, just had to play their best.

He smiled at you and said lightly, "We won't let our guard down, then."

You watched him pick up his racket and stroll to one of the courts. You were probably hoping that he, most of all, would soon find the motivation to play to the fullest.

The team's hope rose when a twelve-year old freshman, Echizen, defeated an injured Momoshiro in a set. Momoshiro cheerfully admitted that even if there was no injury, Echizen would still have won. Thinking that Echizen would be very helpful to the team, you bent the rules a little to allow Echizen to join.

"Doesn't he remind you of someone?" he asked you as you watched Echizen in one of Seigaku's ranking matches. You have long been accustomed to his company during matches. He was always ready to give you insights when you wanted them, ready to listen when you, in turn, shared your own thoughts. Or, sometimes, the two of you just watched, simply enjoying the game. He gripped the fence wires and said, "He defeats his opponents mercilessly. He is very confident of his play." He chuckled. "And he thinks of nothing else but tennis."

You nodded quietly. "He can be Seigaku's next pillar of support," you said seriously.

To your surprise, he let out a low laugh. "You finally admit that you think of nothing else but tennis," he said cheerfully.

You neither denied nor affirmed what he said. You just continued watching.

In those days, training for the tournament became the team's top priority. Everyone trained hard. Even Inui, who had been displaced by Echizen in the intraschool rankings, helped. Inui formulated new training regimes as well as concocted more power juices. I suppose when Inui came to suggest testing the team's stamina, you approved readily because you knew it would help.

During a long distance run before the prefectural tournaments, Inui introduced the Penal Tea and gave it to anyone who spent less than one minute per lap. After thirty or so laps, only the regulars remained. Inui placed another challenge by saying that the last who reached the finish line would have to drink the special veggie juice.

While the rest of the team ran ahead, fighting for first place, you heard him chuckle behind you. "Hmm… why does everyone put so much effort? That drink tastes good." He chuckled again. "Why don't you try it, Tezuka?"

Your brows probably twitched when you said, "No thanks."

Inui was greatly disappointed when all the regular members reached the finish line at the same time. But you knew that the training did not end there.

"We will now be holding intrasquad matches. If your name is called, step onto the court," you said in a commanding voice. "Fuji and Echizen, we'll start off with you two!"

The club watched the match with anticipation. You too watched keenly, knowing that he and Echizen would challenge each other and help each other improve. Perhaps you even hoped that Echizen would be able to pull out his real strength.

The sky grew dark, however, and rain started to pour. Though he and Echizen were stubborn enough to stay and play, Ryuzaki-sensei told them off. You also wanted to see the end of the game, but accidents could happen because of the rain so despite your dissatisfaction, you told Echizen to take shade.

"Hey, Tezuka," he called. He was wearing a thoughtful smile. "When you played with Echizen, was it like this with you too?"

"You knew all about it?" you asked. But you weren't at all surprised that he knew about your secret match against Echizen.

"Yeah! I just had the feeling," he replied.

"Then why didn't you go all out?" you asked. You crossed your arms and gave his back a steely gaze.

He tilted his head but he did not answer.

"The match you had with Echizen just now… why didn't you go all out for the victory?" you asked. You did not mind the rain. You thought that you needed to know why he wouldn't show his true self. "It's just as Inui said, Fuji. Your data cannot be collected," you said slowly. Your voice was deep but it had a hint of disappointment. "Where is the real you?"

He stretched his left hand and felt the drops of rain trickle down his fingers. "Well… Tezuka, it seems that I have no motivation for victory." His voice sounded hollow and his eyes were open. "Enjoying the thrill of drawing out an opponent's potential to the limit… that was all I wanted." He paused. "How about you, what is your motivation?"

"Victory, no matter the cost," you said with a frankness that was almost brutal to him at that time. "Right now, the only thing on my mind is winning the national title."

You caught his glance and you frowned a little. Perhaps you saw the flicker of sadness in his eyes. "If I become a hindrance… remove me as a member of the team," he said quietly.

You strolled past him, leaving him to wonder if you were really going to do what he said.

Most of the shower stalls were occupied inside the clubroom. It seemed that nearly everyone was in a hurry to get cleaned up. Still drenched with rainwater, you waited by the door and watched him. He walked slowly towards the clubroom. His eyes were shut and he was smiling again. But you noted that he was pressing his lips tighter than usual.

"All the stalls are in use," you told him when he reached the door. You held out a plain white towel and added, "Get dried for now."

He accepted the towel with a murmur of thanks. Patting off the rain from his hair and his arms, he dropped to the bench. He still had an air of dejection about him.

You paced towards him and he looked up when he saw your shoes.

"I'm not going to remove you from the team," you said truthfully. "You'll be removed when you lose in a ranking match."

"But if I don't – "

"Don't you want to reach the national tournament, Fuji?" you asked. Your eyes were staring straight at him, asking intently.

"I do," he said. He hung the towel around his shoulders. "But not as much as you do."

"That will do for now," you told him. "Maybe you'll show your true self at the right time."

He did not respond.

He heard you release a sigh. "The team needs you, Fuji," you said firmly.

The two of you waited till the last of the other members went out of the clubroom. Then, you entered separate shower stalls. He was quiet in the stall adjacent to yours whereas you usually heard his muffled humming during showers. Perhaps, you thought, he wasn't quite convinced that he should stay in the club.

When you were done, you turned off the steamy shower and wrapped a towel around your waist. He stepped out of the stall minutes later. When he found you still undressed and waiting with arms crossed over your chest, he tilted his head in inquiry.

"Get dressed quickly," you ordered. "Let's have some tea on the way home."

His lips spread to his usual cheerful smile. He nodded quietly.

You nodded your head too before you turned to get clean clothes.

**oOo**

_As his lips opened slightly with the suspicion of a half-smile, I said to myself, again: "What moves me so deeply, about this little prince who is sleeping here, is his loyalty to a flower – the image of a rose that shines through his whole being like the flame of a lamp, even when he is asleep…" And I felt him to be more fragile still. I felt the need of protecting him, as if he himself were a flame that might be extinguished by a little puff of the wind… - The Little Prince, by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry_

**oOo**

**A/N: **Ahahaha. Sorry, I had to skip the match because I don't know how to describe tennis. Nhowy wanted the shower scene and I couldn't say no.Read and review please? Did you know that Konomi originally wanted Fuji to transfer to Rikkai after this match with Echizen? But he later scrapped the idea. Ketchupblood and I decided that it's good that Fuji stayed at Seigaku. I'm sure he and Tezuka would have died without their locker room smex. –gigglesnorts-


	8. Day Eight

**Remembrance**  
Pairing: TezukaFuji  
Rating: PG-13  
Genre: Romance, Drama  
Warnings: shounen ai, spoilers  
Disclaimer: If I owned Prince of Tennis, the main characters would be Tezuka and Fuji – not Echizen.

**A/N:** This fic is still alive. I swear! This fic is my baby so no letting go. This chapter refers to genius 121 and the Fuji vs. Kirihara match. Speeding the story a bit so we'll be able to get to the good part soon. :D

_One runs a risk of weeping a little, if one lets himself be tamed… - The Little Prince, by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry_  
**oOo  
Remembrance - Day Eight  
oOo**

You found him on the hallway, just as he said you would. He stood against their classroom's wall, his left leg crossed over his right. When he saw you approach, he smiled cheerfully and straightened up.

"Is this the English dictionary that you need?" You asked, handing him a pocket-sized but thick black book.

He smiled gratefully at you. "Yes, thank you. Both Oishi and Taka-san didn't bring it so I can only borrow yours." He flipped it open and watched the pages turn, a childish expression on his face. "By the way, Tezuka," he went, eyes still on the copy, "the lineup for the match against Hyoutei hasn't been decided yet, has it?"

You pushed your hands into the pocket of your pants and he saw the slight wonder in your face. "Ryuuzaki-sensei is probably worrying about it as well."

He scanned the page in front of him before he snapped the book shut. "The person who defeated Yuuta… Jirou, was it? If it's possible, I would like to have a match with him."

You regarded him silently for a while. "Fuji, you are very considerate of your younger brother," you remarked. But he smiled, knowing by the tone of your voice that you as good as promised to grant him the favor.

Nodding, you turned to leave. "Tezuka…" he called and you paused, eyeing him in a questioning way. His eyes flashed open and he asked, "Is it really okay for you to be playing against that Atobe?" You saw him clench his fist around the dictionary but you did not respond. "If your left elbow isn't completely healed… you will lose."

You stared at him and he stared defiantly back. The glint in his eyes voiced out an unspoken challenge and genuine concern. But you didn't seem to heed. Instead, you walked back to your class, unaware of the dismal sigh he released due to your disregard for his warning.

The next day, as he had hoped, he had gotten the chance to play against Jirou Akutagawa. Jirou, who had been sleeping until the match, was at first uninterested. But beneath his childishness lay a formidable tennis player. However, perhaps you thought, Jirou wasn't the one who could break his three counters. Furthermore, he was avenging his brother, and you knew that he was always more determined wherever his brother was concerned. Thus, he won as you trusted him to.

He was about to step out of the court when you entered. He looked at your left arm and cast a deep gaze straight into your eyes. Then wordlessly he joined your other teammates. Atobe was all that he expected: arrogant, fierce and powerful. The results of that match were both fortunate and disastrous. The misfortune was based on the harm induced on your shoulder. The game destroyed it and many people feared that the injury was for good. But that match also led to a triumph made by Echizen.

Leaving the rejoicing team, Oishi, always the caring vice captain, brought you to the clinic. When the checkup was done, you saw him outside, undoubtedly waiting for you. He smiled at Oishi who nodded back, saying, "I'll tell the others that Tezuka is all right. You go ahead to the bus."

The two of you watched Oishi go and he was the one who broke the silence. "You are very considerate of Seigaku." His voice was not accusing. In fact, he had injected humor in his tone by mimicking the staid way you told him about Yuuta. He seemed amused and, if you noticed, impressed. "You never fail to surprise people."

"Except you," you pointed out, unconsciously clutching his shoulder.

He shrugged. "I was still surprised," he confessed without offering any explanation. He smiled pleasantly and added, "You must be very glad we won."

"But this is only a step closer to the Nationals. We can't get careless," you said firmly.

Meaning to ease the tension, he grinned. "Yes, Captain!"

Several days and several trips to the doctor passed. You supervised the team with your usual tact. But you hadn't played a single game and you were more subdued than usual. Everyone began to worry about your arm but you deflected their questions. He was, however, among the few ones who knew the reason.

"Have you decided?" he asked thoughtfully as you traipsed down the sidewalk on the way home.

You nodded sagely. "I'll tell the team tomorrow and leave for Kyushuu this week. I'll give the responsibilities to Oishi. Help him."

His smile became broad. "Rehabilitation will make you stronger than ever. Maybe I won't be able to recognize you when you return," he teased.

You scowled at him. "I hope to make it back before the Nationals."

"You will," he said. "You'll probably run away from the center if they don't release you before then."

You glared.

He threw his head back laughing. When he sobered up, he patted your arm and said, "Just focus on getting better."

Ever dutiful, you nodded. "I won't get careless."

The team received the news in a surprised silence. But they wished you well, hoping that you would return soon. They even accompanied you to the airport and waited with you until your departure. He often called you at night to report what was happening in Seigaku. He told you that Inui kept concocting new juices and was spending a lot of time with Kaidoh for training. He told you that Echizen and Momo were trying to cut down their burger intake as Inui suggested. According to him, Eiji was training harder than usual. He also relayed how Oishi was more high-strung, trying to bear all the responsibility. But a couple of days later, he told you that Oishi was back to normal and that your emails to the team were very helpful.

He usually was the one who called so he had been really surprised when his phone rang in the middle of the night and heard your voice. "Tezuka," he said sleepily. "Is something wrong?"

"How are you?" You asked. Your voice was still deep and stern but I'm sure he hadn't imagined the alarmed ring in it.

"I'm fine," he said casually. "Why?"

There was a brief pause before you finally replied, "Oishi told me what happened in your match against Kirihara."

Then, he understood. "I'm fine. It was a very brief moment of blindness. The doctor told me no long-term damage has been done," he said patiently, trying to reassure you.

"Did you go straight to the doctor after the match?" you asked curtly.

"No. I watched Echizen's game," he answered. "But I was feeling all right so I did not see the immediate need."

"You should have gone straight to the doctor," you commanded. Your voice was raised very slightly but you must have known that he felt the intensity in it.

"I thought you'd kill me if I didn't watch Echizen's game." He sounded nonchalant.

"Fuji," you said tersely. He smiled to himself because he could picture you rubbing your nose in an exhausted manner.

"Don't worry, it won't happen again," he promised. "And how's your arm? Are you still stealing a girl's racket to sneak out and play?"

You grunted, "I'm fine."

At that moment, he had slipped down to the floor, clutching the phone close to his ears. A very bright smile was on his lips as he listened while you spoke about your day. Any thought of sleep was already gone from his head. He hoped you felt just as glad and as comfortable as he was then.

**-tbc-**

**oOo**  
_As his lips opened slightly with the suspicion of a half-smile, I said to myself, again: "What moves me so deeply, about this little prince who is sleeping here, is his loyalty to a flower – the image of a rose that shines through his whole being like the flame of a lamp, even when he is asleep…" And I felt him to be more fragile still. I felt the need of protecting him, as if he himself were a flame that might be extinguished by a little puff of the wind… - The Little Prince, by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry_  
**oOo**

**A/N:** I don't understand why this is short. D: The next chapter is where they'd finally - and here I shut up. REVIEW PLEASE! :D


	9. Day Nine

**Remembrance**  
Pairing: TezukaFuji  
Rating: PG-13  
Genre: Romance, Drama  
Warnings: shounen ai, spoilers  
Disclaimer: Tezuka told Fuji, "Ich liebe dich." Happily enough, Fuji blushed.

**A/N:** This fic is still alive. And… this is where they finally… ;D

_One runs a risk of weeping a little, if one lets himself be tamed… - The Little Prince, by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry_  
**oOo  
Remembrance - Day Nine  
oOo**

Your arrival from Kyushuu undeniably boosted the team's morale. Though everyone had the determination to win the Nationals and to reach the top, your presence was something else to them. How do I put it? Ah, because, yes, you were very much a pillar to Seigaku – though if you've been paying attention, you would have realized that already.

With your guidance and with everyone's hard work, the team sailed through the elimination rounds successfully, gaining all of you a ticket to the semifinals. The game would be against Shitenhouji. A victory would bring you closer to the top. A loss was not an option. Then again, loss was never an option to you.

You watched him with your usual keen silence as he entered the court to face the most formidable player of Shitenhouji. You probably wondered if he heeded your warning the day before, when you told him that Shiraishi Kuranosuke was, in your opinion, the one to fear the most. As a matter of fact, he did. He respected you (and still respects you), so it follows that he respected the players you respected. As the game progressed, you realized that. He showed a different game against Shiraishi. He was no longer the player who only sought the thrill of tennis. He had become a lion struggling for its survival, its territory with both fierceness and dignity. He played a game, you would later tell him, worthy of recognition.

But though he played his best, the trophy wasn't his for the taking. Shiraishi was the better man this time. Shiraishi was better equipped. Shiraishi had already learned the determination that he was just starting to learn.

That was the first time he lost an official singles game. That was also the first time he gave a game his all. Thus, his dejection as he joined you and the rest of the team was not unexpected.

After your own game against Chitose (which was actually a doubles game that somehow turned into a singles game between you and Chitose; you really aren't cut out for doubles, you know?), you stood next to him. You kept glancing at him in what you thought was a surreptitious manner. But he knew better. With his agitation and dejection, he was more alert, more aware of his environment. You must have noticed that he avoided your eyes.

He rejoiced with the rest of the team as Seigaku was declared winner. But you noticed that his smile was tight-lipped, that though he smiled, his eyes did not crinkle.

Aboard the bus, you sat beside him. "You played very well," you remarked amidst the racket Momoshiro and Kikumaru were making over some leftover packs of Pocky.

"My well wasn't enough," he said, smiling bitterly. "Yours, on the other hand, was exemplary. It always is."

"Fuji, winning isn't everything," you said sharply.

"Now you're contradicting yourself," he said irritably. "Just this morning, you said we have to win no matter what."

"We did win."

"I lost."

You sighed, knowing that he was doing his best to be disagreeable. And whenever he did that, you knew that his stubbornness could rival your own. Though no one knew, you were the most stubborn person you knew. Probably thinking that you should better wait till he was ready to talk, you leaned back and listened to his sullen silence.

Several minutes later, Ryuzaki-sensei called out from behind the steering wheel. "Tezuka, Kawamura, Echizen, this is your stop, isn't it?"

You stood up and said, "I'll be seeing Fuji off, sensei."

This roused everyone from a sleepy state. Your teammates took a look at his forced smile, at the determined expression on your face and they sat back in quiet understanding. They knew that he was down because of his loss though he refused to show it. They also knew that he would listen to you – eventually anyway.

When everything was settled, he glanced at you and muttered, "I'm not a child."

"Yes, you are," you pointed out. "We all are."

He raised a brow at that, sighed and looked away.

When the bus stopped and Ryuzaki-sensei called out for you and him, you led the way to the sidewalk.

"I can find my way home," he said quietly as you walked.

You didn't say anything. You just touched the small of his back and pushed gently, urging him to move forward. Realizing that you wouldn't let him drive you away, he wordlessly continued walking.

Their house was empty when the two of you reached it. His mother left a note on the foyer table saying that she was out for some grocery shopping and that she hoped that Seigaku reached the semifinals. I think you saw him press his lips as he read the latter part of the note.

"Go ahead," he said, jerking his head upstairs. "I'll get some tea."

You obliged and waited for him in his room. When he arrived, you were sitting cross-legged on the carpeted floor. You had turned the TV on and were watching some scientific documentary on an international cable channel.

"Tea," he said, dropping to the floor an arm's length away from you.

Both of you sat in silence, sipping your tea as you watched a jaguar climb a tree, dragging an antelope with it. What felt like ten minutes had passed when he finally spoke, "You must be disappointed."

"I'm not." Your eyes were still fixed on the TV. No wonder he had a hard time believing you.

He made a sound of contempt. When you realized that he was still being stubborn, you said, "The game was worthy of recognition. It was the best game you've ever had."

He shrugged. "My best wasn't good enough to beat Shiraishi."

"You're only–"

"I know," he said, tilting his head thoughtfully. "I'm the one who's disappointed." You didn't speak; instead, you let him continue. "I wanted to win so much."

"That's another thing to be proud of," you told him.  
He stared at you for a while, weighing your words. Finally convinced, he nodded and gave you a small but genuine smile. "Tezuka?"

You turned to him. "Mm?"

All of a sudden, he was pulling you towards him. He pressed his lips against yours and began kissing you, coaxing you to return the kiss. You pushed him forward so that he fell flat on the floor. His arms went around your neck and his fingers slipped through your hair as you responded to his kisses.

You kissed and touched for a long time. You couldn't even hear the roar of the lions on TV what with the moans and sounds you were both making. When you stopped, you sat up straight again. You watched him lie on the floor. You had that flushed look on your face as you watched his chest rise and fall in quick, ragged breaths.

You checked your watch. "I need to go. I'm expected home a quarter of an hour ago."

Raising himself by the elbows, he grinned. "You've become irresponsible, Tezuka."

You ignored this and said, "May I use your bathroom?"

"Sure. You know where it is."

In front of the bathroom mirror, you fixed your hair down to the shortest strand to make it look as if it had never been touched. You kept pressing your shirt to straighten the creases he had made.

"Next time, I won't lose," he said so suddenly that you almost jumped out of surprise.

You turned and found him leaning against the doorframe. He had his arms crossed and he was wearing an extremely pleased smile.

"I know."

He walked across the bathroom to reach you. He tiptoed to give you a kiss, but you backed away. "No. I just fixed my hair."

He grinned and kissed you nonetheless.

**-tbc-**

**oOo**  
_As his lips opened slightly with the suspicion of a half-smile, I said to myself, again: "What moves me so deeply, about this little prince who is sleeping here, is his loyalty to a flower – the image of a rose that shines through his whole being like the flame of a lamp, even when he is asleep…" And I felt him to be more fragile still. I felt the need of protecting him, as if he himself were a flame that might be extinguished by a little puff of the wind… - The Little Prince, by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry_  
**oOo**

**A/N:** I hope sullen Fuji wasn't OOC. I merely wanted to show that he has human emotions too, especially after that loss against Shiraishi. If the kiss lacked… uhh… details, that's because I didn't want the narrator to sound like a pron storyteller. XD


End file.
